Why does Russia reject NATO peacekeepers in a potential Ukraine peace deal?

Russia rejects NATO peacekeepers because the Russian leadership views NATO expansion as a direct threat to Russian sovereignty. According to Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, President Putin has repeatedly emphasized that NATO's expansion and potential takeover of Ukraine by the North Atlantic alliance poses a fundamental security risk to Russia. Following high-level talks with the US, Lavrov made it clear that Russia would not accept peacekeeping forces from NATO countries under any peace deal, reflecting the Kremlin's consistent position that NATO's presence near Russian borders constitutes a direct challenge to Russian national interests.